State budget concerns stall USF pharmacy program - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

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A bill pending in the establishinga four-year doctor of pharmacy degrew program at USF is stalled as lawmakere grapple with a budget crisis. Withoutt legislative approval, the program could be delayed, exacerbating a shortag e of pharmacists inthe state. The university isn’g asking for any money for the programrighg now, although it plans to seek state supportg beginning in fiscal year 2011-12. But, with the state facinv a budget shortfall for the upcoming fiscal Senate staffers are blocking progresse of anyspending bills, USF President Judy Genshaft told a boarsd of trustees workgroup on April 16.
Genshaft asked trustees and others at the meeting tosend e-mailsx to Senate leaders urging passage of the “The pharmacy program is about providing for the needs of the state,” said Rhea Law, president of the board of trustees, addintg that retailers such as (NYSE: WAG) and insurerzs such as are in need of more pharmacists in “The state would put money into incentivexs to bring these jobs here,” Law voted in January to approvse the USF pharmacy program, but the Legislature also needs to give its OK because pharmacists are licensed by the Identical measures pending in the House and Senatwe authorize the program.
The House bill is progressinvg smoothly, but the Senatee measure, sponsored by Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port is being held up, Genshaft said. Fasano did not returnn a call for comment. The university is usinh funds from corporate andprivate donors, including a $1 millio anonymous gift, for the initial planning. For fiscaol year 2011-12, when the first class of 50 studentsawould enroll, USF is asking for $1.4 millioh from the state, followed by $2.7 millionb in FY 2012-13. The program is expected to reach full capacity at 400 studentsin 2016.
Tuition woulc cover about 70 percent of the If theLegislature doesn’t approve the program, USF could delayh it for one year and ask for stat e funds beginning in FY 2012-13, Genshaftt said. She’s also looking at alternative fundinb such asincreasing tuition, more fundraising to increase private investment and reallocatin g other university resources. Five othef Florida institutions offer doctord ofpharmacy degrees.
Genshaft said none have objected to theUSF